Where do BCC kids hang out after school? (And how does Whitman compare?)

[Anonymous]

I am trying to get a sense of the BCC and Whitman student bodies, and went to BCC at bell release last week. The kids I saw leaving seemed like a pretty well put-together diverse bunch, except maybe for one small group with a kid who was trying to look tough hood-style. Not too crazy in behavior.

For comparison, at Jackson Reed (formerly Wilson) in DC, you just need to go to the CVS, Chik-Fil-A, and Dominos on Wisconsin, or the WaWA across from the school to get a sense. It has seemed to me to be a much rowdier, rougher group, with weed in the air -- than what I saw leaving BCC.

Am I right? Where do you look to see what these kids are like overall?

And, on the flip side, does it feel like there is any meaningful group of AA or Latino kids at Whitman?

[Anonymous]

I have kids at a different MCPS high school and all I can say about this is that the subset of kids who go “hang out” at fast food places after school is not going to represent your most responsible kids. Those kids are going to after-school activities, sports, or just going home to do homework and walk the dog. Hanging out is never good.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing wrong with kids hanging out and being kids. Kids are so scheduled now a days it's good to have a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to get a sense of the BCC and Whitman student bodies, and went to BCC at bell release last week. The kids I saw leaving seemed like a pretty well put-together diverse bunch, except maybe for one small group with a kid who was trying to look tough hood-style. Not too crazy in behavior.

For comparison, at Jackson Reed (formerly Wilson) in DC, you just need to go to the CVS, Chik-Fil-A, and Dominos on Wisconsin, or the WaWA across from the school to get a sense. It has seemed to me to be a much rowdier, rougher group, with weed in the air -- than what I saw leaving BCC.

Am I right? Where do you look to see what these kids are like overall?

And, on the flip side, does it feel like there is any meaningful group of AA or Latino kids at Whitman?

OP, please.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the first poster.

[Anonymous]

Does Jackson Reed have busses? I ask because it’s very likely the kids go hang at those places prior to getting on the metro or public bus. Most BCC kids take the bus home so aren’t hanging out that much.

That said, when my DD does hang out after school, she goes to Starbucks on Wisconsin or Bethesda Row Area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have kids at a different MCPS high school and all I can say about this is that the subset of kids who go “hang out” at fast food places after school is not going to represent your most responsible kids. Those kids are going to after-school activities, sports, or just going home to do homework and walk the dog. Hanging out is never good.

Yup. This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to get a sense of the BCC and Whitman student bodies, and went to BCC at bell release last week. The kids I saw leaving seemed like a pretty well put-together diverse bunch, except maybe for one small group with a kid who was trying to look tough hood-style. Not too crazy in behavior.

For comparison, at Jackson Reed (formerly Wilson) in DC, you just need to go to the CVS, Chik-Fil-A, and Dominos on Wisconsin, or the WaWA across from the school to get a sense. It has seemed to me to be a much rowdier, rougher group, with weed in the air -- than what I saw leaving BCC.

Am I right? Where do you look to see what these kids are like overall?

And, on the flip side, does it feel like there is any meaningful group of AA or Latino kids at Whitman?

Whitman's student body is 4% Black and 12% Hispanic.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks so far. At JR, a lot of kids take metro or public buses, or walk home -- so there is a lot of traffic for a while after school with kids hanging out before they get on public transport or walk.

I'm not asking about the most responsible kids at BCC or Whitman though. I'm curious as to the middle or least responsible, and what that looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks so far. At JR, a lot of kids take metro or public buses, or walk home -- so there is a lot of traffic for a while after school with kids hanging out before they get on public transport or walk.

I'm not asking about the most responsible kids at BCC or Whitman though. I'm curious as to the middle or least responsible, and what that looks like.

I don’t notice much hanging out in the Whitman parking lot. There are no nearby hang locations, and the kids are pretty busy overachieving. I’ve never observed any middle or less responsible kids at Whitman. Just a bunch of tired looking kids in pajama pants and school hoodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks so far. At JR, a lot of kids take metro or public buses, or walk home -- so there is a lot of traffic for a while after school with kids hanging out before they get on public transport or walk.

I'm not asking about the most responsible kids at BCC or Whitman though. I'm curious as to the middle or least responsible, and what that looks like.

MCPS has busses, DCPS doesn't.

[Anonymous]

On the one hand, well, okay, good to do school research.

On the other hand, it seems sort of creepy to hang outside a school and cast judgment on the kids this way. A boy trying to look tough "hood style"? What does this mean? It's so racist and coded I think you must be joking. Or super clueless!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Jackson Reed have busses? I ask because it’s very likely the kids go hang at those places prior to getting on the metro or public bus. Most BCC kids take the bus home so aren’t hanging out that much.

That said, when my DD does hang out after school, she goes to Starbucks on Wisconsin or Bethesda Row Area.

My kid graduated from BCC last year and there wasn’t a lot of hanging out after school because of the bus thing. I actually felt bad about it because it was so different from my experience in DC - I loved afternoons like that when my friends and I would do whatever and just take the Metrobus home when we were done. Like PP my kid and friends were at Starbucks, Barnes & Noble before it closed, the couple of thrift shops in Bethesda, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the one hand, well, okay, good to do school research.

On the other hand, it seems sort of creepy to hang outside a school and cast judgment on the kids this way. A boy trying to look tough "hood style"? What does this mean? It's so racist and coded I think you must be joking. Or super clueless!

Yes I picked up on that too. OP is trying to apply social mores that don’t fit. Round peg in square hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the one hand, well, okay, good to do school research.

On the other hand, it seems sort of creepy to hang outside a school and cast judgment on the kids this way. A boy trying to look tough "hood style"? What does this mean? It's so racist and coded I think you must be joking. Or super clueless!

+1000. OP knows absolutely nothing about any of these kids and it making judgements based on ignorance. New flash, overachieving kids smoke weed and do drugs just as much as sometimes more than middle of the road kids. Either ask for feedback of the school and school body and then take a tour or just choose a school. Making instance judgements is a bad look.